January 16, 2007
Where Do I Start?

   Chee! It's almost been a month since I last posted here! Time flies when your goal is running all of showbiz!

   I'm not one of those traditional guys who make New Year Resolutions, nor do I place any significance on my birthday, but maybe all my years growing up (which is debatable), I've been programmed to think of a New Year as a New Beginning. I suppose it's comforting imagining all the things you considered crappy that occurred last year can all be clipped off neatly from your past after 11:59 PM Dec. 31. Some simple mental sutures and you're all better, right?

   Okay okay, maybe I'm laying on the sarcasm a bit heavy for my first blog entry o' the year. I'm just trying to set up a point - One 'resolution' I've informally honored thus far is devoting more time to writing. Less blogs, more Hotwire, the miniseries. And inking for DC of course, which is still my bread and butter. It can be frustrating at times when I get the urge to write while staring at pages yet to be inked, but 52 is a top ten book that I happen to enjoy working on, and I'd be a fool to not ride out this glorytrain! It's rewarding to reach a larger audience than usual, which is also why I occassionally work for other companies. Since I joined the comic book corner of MySpace, http://www.comicspace.com/drewgeraci/ I learned that someone just recently discovered my work, after a decade of inking, from a single issue of Witchblade I did just last year! And I almost turned the ish down due to other committments!

   Back to 52-land: As this year-long miniseries is two-thirds published ON TIME, I'm excited to announce that my 52 partner-in-crime Patrick Olliffe and I are concurrently doing the first issue of a 52- related mini titled WWIII Part One: Call to Arms, written by inker-turned-writer (Woo-Hoo! You go, inkboy!) Keith Champagne!

   Lately, I've been building up a library of photographs for reference as I plan to do more pencilling. Unlike some creators who've been crucified (fairly or unfairly) for blatently pinching an image from a swimsuit model magazine, I've mostly actually been taking my own photos. Of course, the occasional background may need some photographic research, such as a Tibetan temple, but I plan on going more impressionistic rather than tracing every little detail. Gene Colan took his own photos for years, as did Ross Andru. Despite training myself how to feather/crosshatch in ink as tight as anyone, my artistic instincts lean more towards Colan, Klaus Janson and the late great Jorge Zaffino. I doubt I'll ever be as good as them, but it'll be exciting to attempt it!

   For Hotwire, I intend to draw breakdowns then sculpt in ink and whiteout. A good example is the pinup I just completed for Canadian buddy Jason Armstrong's Ferro City trade paperback (Image). Jason is adding a lot of new pages to flesh out the story beyond the miniseries it reprints. For the record, I won't be posting the pinup on my site, so if you wanna see it, you gotta pony up some scratch. Ferro City is best described as if Mickey Spillane and Jack Kirby did a twist on Blade Runner! You won't be disappointed.

   Looking forward to Megacon next month (already!) This year, I'll be in the "special guest" section rather than Artists Alley thanks to the gracious Beth Widera. I haven't gotten a lot of portfolio reviews at shows lately. Maybe word's spreading on how tough I am on newbies. Just this once, I'll share with you The Rules of Portfolio Review:

   1) If your response to criticism is to say:"Well, that's some old stuff from last year." I will respond: "Well, why are you showing me this then?" Put your best foot forward, not in your mouth.

   2) Don't argue/justify an artistic faux pas: It's easy to get defensive about your own artwork (even we pros get so from time to time), but don't take criticism personally, just absorb the info being imparted to you. That's why you're showing me your stuff, not to have me humor you.

   3) Remember, you may not like all 20 X-men monthly books, but if you want to break in, that's who you're competing with! If a steady comics reader has very little in his local store's "pull-box" one week, he statistically is more likely to pick up the least-selling Big Two comic over most other comics, so your work has to stand out. Image, Dark Horse, IDW, Dynamite,etc. also have high standards to maintain whether it be a Hellboy mini, The Goon, The Lone Ranger, Fear Agent, I could go on...

   *Ahem*

   Out of some misguided macho workaholic inclination, I'm taking on an offer to write a column for Comic Book Resourses (no, not Lying In The Gutters), so I decided to the forgo a bloglike ramble and instead, chose to interview a creator who's been one of my personal inspirations over the years: Bob McLeod. Not unlike Back Issue's Pro-to-Pro section, I'll be mingling my meager insights with his far-more worldly ones. Bob's one of the first inkers who's name I recognized as a sign of quality when inking someone like Sal Buscema, who's work was occasionally butchered by lesser inking hands. Bob's got some great comments and his honesty is refreshing. Look for it soon.

   Also coming soon, I'll also be starting my first regular monthly assignment in years, but I'm not at liberty to say what it is just yet (DC's press-releasing an interview with the penciller and me, if you can believe it!)

   Then, I think I'll run for public office.

   Nah, I'd sooner do something more dignified, like run down the street nekkid with a mouth crammed with packing peanuts, brandishing a Fungo bat in one hand, a Hot Wheels track in the other, meting out justice.
As I'm sure they'll be pleased as punch following up that comment, Steve Epting and Frank D'Armata's corrected photo can finally be seen in the News, Links & Checklist section of the site (I tried to pry the secret events in Cap #25 from them, but they kept mum about it). Loose Lips Sink Ships they used to say.

   Am I done yet?
Found: Fing Fang Foom's toenail clipping or Palm Frawn?
 
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